HARVEST MOON

Space Weather News for Sept. 12, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

HARVEST MOON: This weekend's full Moon has a special name--the Harvest Moon. It's the full Moon closest to the northern autumnal equinox. In years past, farmers depended on the light of the Harvest Moon to gather ripening crops late into the night. Post-Edison, we appreciate it mainly for its beauty. Be alert in the nights ahead for Harvest Moon halos, coronas and 'dogs. Visit http://spaceweather.com for example and more information.

AURORA WATCH: Around the Arctic Circle, moonlight will compete with Northern Lights. A solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole on the sun is due to hit Earth on Sept. 13th or 14th, possibly sparking high-latitude geomagnetic storms. Sky watchers from Alaska to Scandinavia should be alert for auroras.

September 2008 Aurora Gallery: http://spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01sep08.htm

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http://spaceweather.com/services/

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The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (09 September 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (09 September 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/

* Rapid Retreat: Ice Shelf Loss along Canada's Ellesmere Coast
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Ellesmere/
Beginning in late July 2008, the remaining ice shelves along the northern coast of Canada's Ellesmere Island underwent rapid retreat, losing a total of 214 square kilometers (83 square miles).

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Hurricane Ike weakens over Cuba
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18147

Both Routes Around Arctic Open at Summer's End
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18145

Floods Cover Bihar, India
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18144

Sunglint on the Amazon River, Brazil
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18143

Ningaloo National Marine Park, Western Australia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18142

Ice Shelves Retreat on Ellesmere Island
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18141

A Stormy Atlantic
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18140

Fires in Mozambique and South Africa
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18139

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- 2008 Hurricane Season Kicks Into High Gear

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Major Flooding Risk Could Span Decades After Chinese Earthquake
- Global Sea-Rise Levels by 2100 May be Lower Than Some Predict
- Warmer Seas Linked to Strengthening Hurricanes
- Smoke Smudges Mexico City's Air, Chemists Identify Sources
- Global Warming Greatest in Past Decade
- Ice Age Lesson Predicts a Faster Rise in Sea Level
- Crystals Improve Understanding of Volcanic Eruption Triggers
- Thawing Permafrost Likely to Boost Global Warming
- Why is Greenland Covered in Ice?

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Arctic Ice Hints at Warming, Specialists Say
- Sea Level Rise Limited to Just Over Six Feet
- African Dust Linked to Hurricane Strength
- Asian Soot, Smog May Boost Global Warming in USA
- Supercontinent Pangaea Pushed, Not Sucked, Into Place
- Earth's Windiest Region Confirmed by Crewed Flight
- Seas Will Rise Much Faster Than Thought
- Major Ice-Shelf Loss for Canada
- Strongest Storms Grow Stronger Yet
- Some Seaweed Hampers Coral Recovery
- Why Hurricane Gustav Didn't Become a Monster
- Hurricane Forecast: "No Let Up" in Weeks Ahead
- Climate 'Hockey Stick' is Revived
- Beyond Carbon: Scientists Worry About Nitrogen's Effects
- A Blow to the Oxygen Theory of Extinction
- Eruption Gave Several Weeks' Notice; May Aid Forecasts
- The Weekends are More Rainy – and it May be Our Fault
- Sponges Feel the Heat from Climate Change
- Arctic Sea Ice Drops to Record Levels
- Arctic Sea Ice Drops to Second Lowest Level on Record
- Not-So-Permafrost: Big Thaw of Arctic Soil May Unleash Runaway Warming
- Earth's Air in Four Big Cells
- Fewer April Showers for U.S. Southwest as Climate Changes




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The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (02 September 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (02 September 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Fires in Mozambique and South Africa
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18139

Hurricane Gustav
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18138

Empty Quarter
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18137

Mt. Gambier, South Australia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18136

Aeolian Islands
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18135

Wrangel Island, Russia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18134

Fay Floods Florida
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18133

Monsoon Floods Reshape Indian River
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18132

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Changing the World, One Student at a Time
- Portrait of a Warming Ocean and Rising Sea Levels

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- New Clues to Air Circulation in the Atmosphere
- Earthquakes May Endanger New York More than Thought
- Satellite Images Show Continued Breakup of Two of Greenland's Largest Glaciers
- Drier, Warmer Springs in U.S. Southwest Stem from Human-Caused Changes in Winds
- Dirty Smoke From Ships Found to Degrade Air Quality in Coastal Cities
- Greenland Ice Core Reveals History of Pollution in the Arctic
- Study Shows Continued Spread of 'Dead Zones'




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Volcanic Sunsets

Space Weather News for Aug 31, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

Sky watchers across the USA and Europe are reporting unusually colorful sunsets and sunrises. The cause appears to be the August 7th eruption of the Kasatochi volcano in Alaska's Aleutian islands. The volcano hurled a massive cloud of ash and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere; high winds have since carried the aerosols over parts of the USA and Europe. "Violet domes," long pink rays crossing the sky, campfire-red aureoles around Venus--these are just a few of the sights documented on Spaceweather.com in recent days. When the sun goes down tonight, look west. You may be in for a treat.

Ongoing coverage of the phenomenon may be found at http://spaceweather.com .

First reports of the volcanic sunsets are documented in the Aug. 27th edition of SpaceWeather.com, located in our archives at this URL:

http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=27&month=08&year=2008


i got to see the colorful sunset tonight.. it was BEAUTIFUL!!! :)

The Evening Sky Map -- September 2008

Welcome to the latest issue of Skymaps.com Update!

IN THIS ISSUE:
* The Evening Sky Map -- September 2008
* Astronomy & Space Calendars 2009 -- Early Bird Savings
* TESM Distribution Policy
* Change Address / Leave Mailing List

-----------------------------------------------
THE EVENING SKY MAP -- SEPTEMBER 2008

The latest issue of The Evening Sky Map is now available!

This month's Sky Calendar features:
* An Occultation of Antares (Southern Hemisphere)
* Venus 0.30 degrees from Mars
* Venus, Mercury and Mars gather in the evening sky
* plus... the best celestial objects for binoculars, telescope, or just your eyes.

Sky Calendar and related links:
http://www.skymaps.com/articles/n0809.html

Download The Evening Sky Map:
http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
Click your browser's Reload/Refresh button if you do not see the latest issue.

Thank you for your support and generous donations.
http://www.skymaps.com/donate/

Clear skies!

Kym Thalassoudis
http://Skymaps.com
Quality sky maps each month to explore, learn & enjoy the night sky.

-----------------------------------------------
ASTRONOMY & SPACE CALENDARS 2009

Early Bird Savings -- SAVE 15% with any purchase of $20 or more!

Hubble Space Telescope 2009
This remarkable wall calendar features stunning images of planets, stars,
gaseous nebulae, and galaxies captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The
images have been digitally processed to reveal the elegant and subtle beauty of
the most distant realms of the Universe. Includes accurate and informative
descriptions by a professional astronomer and a Skywatching Guide.
Back Cover Detail:
Order:

Skywatcher's 2009 Calendar
First published in 1997, this award-winning calendar-book has evolved into
a unique educational tool and sky chart reference guide for children and
adults alike. Vivid color sky charts, timely data, and insightful articles
alert you to planetary conjunctions, meteor showers, lunar and solar
eclipses, and much more. The sky charts in this calendar are a year-round
reference for people living in Canada, U.S. cities from Washington D.C. to
San Francisco and points north, and most of Europe.
Back Cover:
Order: -- 2008 or 2009 edition.
More Info:

More Astronomy & Space Calendars


-----------------------------------------------
TESM DISTRIBUTION POLICY

Skymaps.com encourages individuals and Astronomy Education Groups to make and
distribute printed copies of The Evening Sky Map (TESM) for non-commercial
education purposes including Astronomy outreach to the public.

Individuals and Astronomy Education Groups wishing to distribute printed
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use is strictly non-commercial. Commercial use will require a license agreement.

Under the Non-Commercial Educational Use policy, Individuals may make and
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of TESM each month for non-commercial educational use.

Individuals or Astronomy Education Groups need to comply with the Terms of Use
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Note, reprint fees *may* apply in some cases. For example:
* Any use of a commercial nature
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Fishing for a faint fuzzy

This week's sky

Fishing for a faint fuzzy

Star-party attendees in late August and early September should set their sights on the 10th-magnitude interloper C/2007 W1 (Boattini). It will be well-placed in the east by late evening and remain up the rest of the night. To catch this comet, you'll need to be out under a dark sky and avoid the Moon's unwanted light. As Boattini slides across the back of Pisces the Fish, the comet will resemble some of the fainter Messier objects. You should get a nice view through a 4-inch scope under good conditions.

At best, Boattini will show a stubby tail. The solar system conspires against us this month, because the comet's tail extends mostly behind it from our perspective. In this respect, it mimics last year's appearance of Comet 17P/Holmes.

At September's close, Comet C/2007 W1 passes close to Psi1 Piscium, an easy double star for small telescopes. Its components shine at magnitudes 5.4 and 5.6 and have a comfortable separation of 30". Can you see any color difference between the two stars?

If you're in a comet-hunting mood, lots of other targets await those with bigger scopes. Almost a dozen glow at 12th magnitude or brighter. For up-to-date finder charts and magnitudes, click here.

got this via email.. The astronomy. :)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (26 August 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (26 August 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Monsoon Floods Reshape Indian River
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18132

Aral Sea, 2000-2008
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18131

Cape Farewell, Greenland
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18130

Fires in Indonesia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18129

Tengiz and Korgaljinski Lakes, Kazakhstan
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18128

Typhoon Nuri
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18127

Red Rocks in Glacier National Park
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18126

Cropland and Prairie, Cimarron County, Oklahoma
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18125

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- 2007 Hurricane Forecasts Took Blow from Winds and Saharan Dry, Dusty Air
- Project Anniversary Shows Value of Long-Term Investment in Climate Research
- NASA Study Lights Path to How Smoke Changes Cloud Cover, Climate

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Climate Change: When it Rains it (Really) Pours
- Forward Step in Forecasting Global Warming
- Rare Antarctic Fossils Reveal Extinction of Tundra Before Full Polar Climate Arrived
- Pacific Shellfish Ready to Invade Atlantic

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Arctic Tundra Holds Global Warming Time Bomb
- Alpine Archive
- Heavy Rain Triggers Destructive Tornadoes
- Corrosive Oceans: Carbon Emissions Threaten Ecosystem
- World Heading Toward Cooler 2008
- Coal's Toxic Legacy to the Arctic
- Acid Rain Molecule Tells All
- Ocean Dead Zones Going Global
- Southern Seals Sample Salty Seas
- Satellites Help Explain Greenland Ice Loss Mystery
- Yellowstone Supervolcano is Only Lukewarm
- Shellfish May Invade North Atlantic as Ice Melts
- In the Indian Himalayas, You Can Hear Climate Change Before You Can See It
- Extreme Rains to Be Supercharged by Warming
- Australia's East Coast Climate Zones Heading South
- Scientists Draw Detailed Arctic Map
- Will Grasslands Overtake U.S. Forests Due to Warming?
- Scientists Learn More About Ocean Beds
- The Hottest Water on Earth
- Software Predicts Where El Nino will Strike Next
- Ancient Moss, Insects Found in Antarctica




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Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

NASA Science News for August 25, 2008

NASA Science News for August 25, 2008
High above Earth, astronauts on board the International Space Station have taken one of the best-ever photos of electric-blue noctilucent clouds. Their image, featured in today's story from Science@NASA, highlights a growing mystery: Where do these clouds come from and why are they spreading?

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/25aug_nlc.htm?list874246

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (19 August 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (19 August 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Cropland and Prairie, Cimarron Count, Oklahoma
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18125

Tropical Storm Fay
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18124

Dry Tortugas, Florida
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18123

Rice Farming in Guinea-Bissau
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18122

Kasatochi, Aleutian Islands
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18121

Locusts in West Africa
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18120

Drought Devastates Vegetation in Oklahoma Panhandle
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18119

Sulfur Dioxide Cloud from Aleutians' Kasatochi Volcano
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18118




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Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

got this via email

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (12 August 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (12 August 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/

* Devastating Drought Settles on the High Plains
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/OklahomaDrought/
A drought to rival the Dust Bowl settled over the southern Great Plains in summer 2008.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Sulfur Dioxide Cloud from Aleutians' Kasatochi Volcano
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18118

Exceptional Drought in the High Plains and Texas
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18117

Pyramids of Dashur, Egypt
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18116

Drying of Lake Faguibine, Mali
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18115

Beijing National Stadium
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18114

Southern Route Through Northwest Passage Opens
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18113

Dolly Floods Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18112

Tropical Storm Edouard
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18111




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Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (05 August 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (05 August 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Tropical Storm Edouard
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18111

Lake Bogoria and Rift Valley Province, Kenya
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18110

Arctic Eclipse
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18109

Polar Mesospheric Clouds Over Central Asia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18108

IJsselmeer, Netherlands
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18107

Wyperfeld National Park
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18106

Chino Hills Earthquake
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18105

Floods in the Wake of Hurricane Dolly
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18104

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Data Show Some African Drought Linked to Warmer Indian Ocean
- Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 Begins Mapping Oceans

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Patagonian Glacier Yields Clues for Improved Understanding of Global Climate Change
- Tracking Down Abrupt Climate Changes
- Cold and Ice, and Heat, Episodically Gripped Tropical Regions 300 Million Years Ago
- Mud Pots Signal Possible Extension of San Andreas Fault

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Harsh Climate Change Once Fell Swiftly
- Warming Won't Drive More Hurricanes, Study Says
- Deadly San Andreas Fault Longer Than Thought
- Arctic Ice Continues to Thin
- Seven-Square-Mile Ice Sheet Breaks Loose in Canada
- Ocean Mission Delivers First Maps
- Coral Reef 'Glue' May Not Stick Under Climate Change
- Rock Links Antarctica and North America
- Dolly May Have Shrunk Gulf 'Dead Zone'




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Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

COUNTDOWN TO THE PERSEIDS

Space Weather News for August 5, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

COUNTDOWN TO THE PERSEIDS: The annual Perseid meteor shower peaks one week from today, on Tuesday, August 12th. The best time to look is during the dark hours before dawn on Tuesday morning when forecasters expect 50 to 100 meteors per hour. Get away from city lights if you can; plan a camping trip! The darker the sky, the more meteors you will see.

The source of the Perseids is Comet Swift-Tuttle, which has littered the August portion of Earth's orbit with space dust. The dusty zone is broad and Earth is already in its outskirts. As a result, even before the peak on August 12th, you may see some "early Perseids" streaking across the night sky. Photos of these early arrivals will be featured in the days ahead on http://Spaceweather.com as part of our full coverage of the Perseid meteor shower.

BONUS: Last Friday's total solar eclipse is history, but new pictures continue to appear in our photo gallery. Start browsing at this URL: http://spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_01aug08_page3.htm

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (29 July 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (29 July 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Floods in the Wake of Hurricane Dolly
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18104

First Global Water Vapor Map from OSTM
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18103

Sea Surface Temperature and Hurricane Bertha
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18102

Lagoons and Reefs of New Caledonia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18101

Sentinel Volcanic Field, Arizona
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18100

Hurricane Dolly
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18099

Sulfur Dioxide from Okmok Volcano
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18098

Beijing Implements New Pollution Controls
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18097

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- New NASA 'Fire & Smoke' Web Page Shows Latest Fire Views, Research

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Snapshot of Past Climate Reveals No Ice in Antarctica Millions of Years Ago
- Scientists Search for Answers from the Carbon in the Clouds
- Unique Fossil Discovery Shows Antarctic was Once Much Warmer
- Amazon Outflow is Found to Power Ocean Capture of Carbon Dioxide
- Typhoons Bury Tons of Carbon in the Oceans
- Chinese Earthquake Provides Lessons for Future
- Scientists Offer New Explanation for Monsoon Development
- Saharan Dust Storms Sustain Life in Atlantic Ocean
- Scientists Demonstrate the Sharpest Measurement of Ice Crystals in Clouds
- Iceberg Scour Affects Biodiversity
- Undersea Volcanoes Triggered Marine Extinction
- Future Snowmelt in West Twice as Early as Expected
- Scientists Close in on Source of X-rays in Lightning
- Scattered Nature of Wisconsin's Woodlands Could Complicate Forests' Response to Climate Change

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Climate Change Hurting Marine Snails
- Supercontinent Pangea Gets Climate Rethink
- Did Eroding Super Mountains Give Us the Air We Breathe?
- The Real Home of Hurricanes: Ethiopia?
- A Point of No Return for Greenland's Ice
- New Radar Detects Tornadoes Faster
- Weather Probes Swarm the Seas
- Satellite Designed to Spot Asteroid Armageddon
- Volcanoes May Not be Fed by Magma Mushrooms
- Shrimp-Like Fossil Confirms Antarctica was Once Warmer
- U.S. Spring Melt to Shift by Months
- Student to Track Tiger Sharks via Satellite
- Australian Tsunami Only a Matter of Time
- Wildfire Smoke May Cause Arctic Cooling
- More Icebergs Scouring Antarctic Seabed
- Middle Earth Mountains: Steep and Strong
- Sea Die-Out Blamed on Volcanoes
- U.S. Floods to Create Record Dead Zone
- Little Yellow Sub Studies Ocean
- Glaciers on California's Mt. Shasta Keep Growing
-

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/




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Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

Alert: Perseid meteor shower

NASA Science News for July 22, 2008
The 2008 Perseid meteor shower peaks during the dark hours before dawn on Tuesday, August 12th, and forecasters say it should be a good show.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/22jul_perseiddawn.htm?list874246

DESCENDING SPACE JUNK

Space Weather News for July 22, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

DESCENDING SPACE JUNK: Almost exactly one year ago, on July 23, 2007, International Space Station astronauts threw an obsolete, refrigerator-sized ammonia reservoir overboard. The 1400-lb piece of space junk has been circling Earth ever since and now, in July 2008, its orbit has decayed so much that it has become an easy naked-eye target for backyard sky watchers. The "Early Ammonia Servicer" (EAS for short) is almost as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper and growing brighter as it descends. Today's edition of http://spaceweather.com displays photos of the EAS, which is expected to burn up in Earth's atmosphere in late 2008 or early 2009. Readers who wish to see the EAS with their own eyes should check the Simple Satellite Tracker for flyby times: http://spaceweather.com/flybys. Europeans are favored with flybys this week, North Americans next week.

You are subscribed to the Space Weather mailing list, a free service of Spaceweather.com.

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (22 July 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (22 July 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scientists in Siberia are nearing the end of their expedition to study the ecology of Arctic landscapes and how they are responding to climate change. Recent blogs from the field describe the challenging terrain of the Siberian Traps, the discovery of 700-year-old tree skeletons, and NASA ecologist Jon Ranson's sparring match with "the one that got away."

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/SiberiaBlog2008/


------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Beijing Implements New Pollution Controls
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18097

Earth and the Moon
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18096

Wintertime Disintegration of Wilkins Ice Shelf
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18095

Catoca Diamond Mine, Angola
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18094

Cordillera Huayhuash, Peruvian Andes
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18093

Ocean Color off the Icelandic Coast
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18092

Formation and Decay of Hurricane Bertha
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18091

Global Ocean Wind Energy Potential
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18090

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Ocean Surface a Boon for Extreme Event Forecasts, Warnings
- For Toy-Like NASA Robots in Arctic, Ice Research is Child's Play

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- For Toy-Like NASA Robots in Arctic, Ice Research is Child's Play

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Calif. Firefighters Get Backup From NASA Drone
- Tainted African Dust Clouds Harm U.S., Caribbean Reefs
- New Maps to Help Tap Ocean Winds
- Antarctic Ice Shelf Hanging On by a Thread
- Russian Ice Camp in Rapid Shrink
- Ancient Indian Basin Beat the Cold
- At Antarctic Peninsula, Fast Change
- South Australia Drought Worsens
- La Ni単a Fizzling Out, Could Reduce Hurricane Risk
- Rare Argentina Winter Ice Break
- Cleaner Skies Explain Surprise Rate of Warming
- Extreme Rain Grows Mountains
- Grasslands Hold Up to Climate Change
- Hurricane Bertha's Burst of Strength Stumps Experts
- Greenland Meltwater Will Take Slow Wave Around Globe
- Life in the Balance: Coral Reefs are Declining
- Greenland Ice Sheet Slams the Brakes On
- Glacier Bay Park's Gravity Shifts as Ice Melts
- Ancient Ice Sheets Fell like Dominoes
- Springy Sediments May Amplify Tsunamis
- Scientists Say Ailing Penguins Signal Sea Problems




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Look for fireworks from Aquarius

Astronomy: Roen Kelly


The sky this month


Look for fireworks from Aquarius

The summer meteor season begins with a favorable display from the Delta Aquarids. The meteor shower, which is active from mid-July to mid-August, peaks July 27.

This shower favors observers in the southern half of North America. The reason: Southern latitudes place the radiant higher in the sky.

Observing Delta Aquarid meteors just got a little easier. According to the International Meteor Organization, several faint summer showers with reported radiants near Aquarius confused observers. Several new studies, however, indicate the Delta Aquarid radiant is the only real one.

The Delta Aquarid shower produces between 10 and 20 fast - but not especially bright - meteors per hour. The Last Quarter Moon July 25 will create only minor interference with your meteor hunt.

PRETTY SKY ALERT

Space Weather News for July 16, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

PRETTY SKY ALERT: The brightest lights in the night sky are having a get-together. On July 16th and 17th, Jupiter and the nearly-full Moon will be side-by-side in the constellation Sagittarius. The pair rise in the southeast just after nightfall and remain visible all night long. That's not all: The International Space Station is making a series of evening passes over Europe and North America and it will join Jupiter and the Moon over many towns and cities. Check the Simple Satellite Tracker to find out when to look: http://spaceweather.com/flybys

COLLIDING STORM UPDATE: Earlier this month, Jupiter's Little Red Spot got caught between two larger storms (the Great Red Spot and Oval BA), and the Little Red Spot was destroyed. Or was it? New amateur photos of Jupiter show that the Little Red Spot may be re-forming. Not only that, it seems to be drifting back toward the Great Red Spot for a second collision. Updates will be posted on http://spaceweather.com as the storms converge anew.

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (15 July 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (15 July 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/

* Siberia Blog 2008
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/SiberiaBlog2008/
Scientists on a remote river in Siberia send field reports of their expedition to study the impacts of fire and climate change on northern forests and tundra.

* American Carbon: Vulcan Project Maps Nation's Fossil Fuel Emissions in Detail
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/AmericanCarbon/
The Vulcan Project maps when and where Americans burn fossil fuels.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Global Ocean Wind Energy Potential
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18090

Siskiyou Complex Fire, Northern California
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18089

Siberian Expedition 2008: Kotuykan River
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18088

Conakry, Guinea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18087

Piute Fire, Sequoia National Forest
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18086

Annual Carbon Emissions in the United States
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18085

Hurricane Bertha
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18084

Algal Bloom along the Coast of China
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18083

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Responds to California Wildfire Emergency Imaging Request
- NASA Imagery of Fire and Smoke
- Summer Storms Could Mean More Dead Zones
- Ocean Wind Power Maps Reveal Possible Wind Energy Sources
- NASA Mission to be Crystal Ball into Oceans' Future, Mirror to the Past
- New Mission Helps Offshore Industries Dodge Swirling Waters

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Icelandic Volcanoes Help Researchers Understand Potential Effects of Eruptions
- Projected California Warming Promises Cycle of More Heat Waves, Energy Use for Next Century
- One-Third of Reef-Building Corals Face Extinction
- First Broad Look at Soot from Ships
- Early Earthquake Warning: New Tools Show Promise
- Human Influences Challenge Penguin Populations
- Unravelling the 'Inconvenient Truth' of Glacier Movement
- ESA Satellite Assesses Damage of Norway's Largest Fire
- Ancient Oak Trees Help Reduce Global Warming
- Destruction of greenhouse gases over tropical Atlantic
- Air Monitoring Helps Anticipate Possible Ecosystem Changes

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Arctic Ice: Going, Going ...
- Squid, Lobster Numbers Rise as Fish Fall Due to Warming
- Earth's Core, Magnetic Field Changing Fast
- A Holistic Approach to Saving the Sea
- Climate Race Separates the Weeds from the Trees
- Plants "Climbing" Mountains Due to Global Warming
- Tropical Ocean Sucks Up Vast Amounts of Ozone
- How Overfishing can Alter an Ocean's Entire Ecosystem
- Why Flooding Worsens
- New Pieces in the Climate-Change Puzzle
- Major Lion Die-Offs Linked to Climate Change
- Arctic Volcanoes Exploded at 'Impossible' Depth




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What's wrong with the Sun?

NASA Science News for July 11, 2008
The sun is entering its third year of eerie calm. Sunspots are rare and solar flares simply aren't happening. Is this "solar minimum" lasting longer than it should? A NASA scientist has examined centuries of sunspot data to find the answer, revealed in today's story from Science@NASA:

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/11jul_solarcycleupdate.htm?list874246

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Space Weather News for July 9, 2008

Space Weather News for July 9, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

JUPITER AT ITS BRIGHTEST: Jupiter reaches maximum brilliance this week, on July 9th, when it makes its closest approach to Earth for all of 2008. At sunset, look low and southeast for a beacon of light brighter than any star. That is Jupiter rising for an all-night transit across the southern sky. During this time of closest approach, Jupiter makes a wonderful target for backyard telescopes. Even small telescopes reveal the planet's cloud belts, its four largest moons, and the Great Red Spot, an anti-cyclone twice as wide as Earth. Just a few days ago, the Great Red Spot ran over a sibling, the Little Red Spot, and may have destroyed the smaller storm. Amateur images of the collision are featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (08 July 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (08 July 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Algal Bloom along the Coast of China
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18083

Flooding in Des Moines, Iowa
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18082

Shiretoko Peninsula
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18081

Activity on Mount Etna
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18080

Dakar, Senegal
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18079

Toshka Lakes, Egypt
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18078

Basin Complex Fire Near Big Sur, California
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18077

Southern Ocean Carbon Sink
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18076




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A crescent Moon joins Saturn, Mars, and Regulus

The sky this month


A crescent Moon joins Saturn, Mars, and Regulus

Astronomy: Roen Kelly

Binoculars will reveal a beautiful color contrast between orange Mars and bluish-white Regulus. Set against twilight's deepening azure sky, this is one of the summer's finest binocular sights. On July 4, enjoy the "red, white, and blue" of Mars, Regulus, and the early evening sky as America celebrates Independence Day.

Each night, Mars pulls farther from Regulus and draws closer to Saturn. On July 5, when the three objects span a straight line 5° long, they're joined by the 3-day-old crescent Moon 5° below Regulus. The next night, the Moon glows nearly 7° to the left of Mars.

Watch over the following 4 nights as Mars edges toward its July 10 conjunction with Saturn. Then, only about 0.7° separates the two worlds and both will be visible in a telescope's low-power field of view. Here's an opportunity to study a new color contrast, but a more subtle one. Compare Mars' orange hue to Saturn's wan, yellowish tint. Can you spot the difference?

Saturn, shining at magnitude 0.8, is nearly a full magnitude brighter than Mars. This is the ringed planet's last month of visibility before it slips into the solar glare. The Sun will hide Saturn for about 2 months before the planet reappears in the morning sky. Saturn remains so low that telescopic viewing won't reveal much in the early evening's unstable air. But take a quick glimpse at the planet's narrowing rings. They'll be even more edge-on when Saturn reappears in the fall.


Hoping for a clear sky! Happy 4th! :)

Planets Align for the 4th of July.. Don't forget! :)

NASA Science News for July 1, 2008
Look beyond the fireworks on 4th of July weekend. A trio of worlds is converging for a pretty sunset sky show.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/01jul_4thofjuly.htm?list874246


July 1, 2008: News Flash: On 4th of July weekend, NASA forecasts lights in the sky.

No, not those lights. Look beyond the fireworks. Almost halfway up the western sky, just above the twilight glow of sunset, a trio of worlds is gathering: Saturn, Mars and the crescent Moon.



Above: Fireworks over Jodrell Bank, England, on the 2008 summer solstice. Photo credit: Andrew Greenwood.

The show gets going on Friday, July 4th. Red Mars and ringed Saturn converge just to the left of the bright star Regulus. The three lights make a pretty 1st-magnitude line in the heavens: sky map.


Sign up for EXPRESS SCIENCE NEWS delivery

But that is just the beginning. On Saturday, July 5th, with weekend fireworks at fever pitch, a lovely crescent Moon joins the show. Saturn, Mars, and the Moon trace an even brighter line than the night before: sky map.

Scan a small telescope along the line. You'll see Saturn's rings, the little red disk of Mars, a grand sweep of lunar mountains and craters, and just maybe—flash!—a manmade incendiary. How often do you see fireworks through a telescope?

This is, however, more than just a flashy gathering of planets—it is also a gathering of spaceships and robots.

Each of the three worlds is orbited or inhabited by probes from Earth. Saturn has the Cassini spacecraft, studying the gas giant's storms, moons and rings. The Moon has two probes in orbit: Kaguya from Japan and Chang'e-1 from China. The pair, operating independently, are mapping the Moon and scanning for resources in advance of future human landings. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will join them later this year.

Right: An artist's concept of Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter slated to launch later this year. [more]

Mars has more probes than the others combined. Three active satellites orbit the red planet: Europe's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The three not only study Mars with their own instruments, but also form a satellite network in support of NASA's Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity and Mars lander Phoenix.

None of these mechanical specks are visible in a backyard telescope, but they are there, heralds of a growing human presence in the solar system. Tell that to your buddy at the fireworks show!

During the short night of July 5th, the Moon glides past Mars and Saturn so that nightfall on Sunday, July 6th, brings a different arrangement—a scalene triangle. The triad is easy to find in the hours after sunset. Look west and let the Moon be your guide: sky map.

In the nights that follow, the Moon exits stage left, leaving the others behind. Don't stop watching, though. Saturn and Mars are converging for their closest encounter of the next 14 years. After nightfall on Thursday, July 10th, the two planets will be just ¾ of a degree apart, snug enough to fit behind the tip of your pinky finger held at arm's length: sky map.

Now that's spectacular—no fireworks required.

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (01 July 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (01 July 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


New Features:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/

* The Ocean's Carbon Balance
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/OceanCarbon/
The amount of carbon dioxide that the ocean can take from the atmosphere is controlled by both natural cycles and human activity.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Southern Ocean Carbon Sink
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18076

Regional Patterns of Sea Level Change 1993-2007
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18075

Santorini Volcano, Greece
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18074

Urbanization of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18073

Rainfall from Typhoon Fengshen
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18072

Forest Fires in California
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18071

Mississippi River Floods Gulfport, Illinois
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18070

Launch of the Ocean Surface Topography Mission
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18069

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Destruction of Greenhouse Gases Over Tropical Atlantic
- Geologists Discover Signs of Volcanoes Blowing Their Tops in the Deep Ocean
- Climate Change Could Severely Impact California's Unique Native Plants
- Greenland Ice Core Analysis Shows Drastic Climate Change Near End of Last Ice Age
- Ocean Warming on the Rise
- Nitrogen Discovery Should Help Climate Change Predictions
- Ocean Temperatures and Sea Level Increases 50 Percent Higher Than Previously Estimated

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Climate Change Threatens Two-Thirds of California's Unique Plants
- Antarctic Sticks Out Huge Annual Ice 'Tongue'
- Resonating With the Ocean
- First Antarctic Map Sent to National Archives
- Early Earth Marred by Acid Rain
- More Extreme Weather Expected for U.S.
- Global Warming to Spark Increase in U.S. Wildfires
- Greenland Ice Offers Clues to Last Big Melt
- Ocean-Monitoring Satellite Blasts Off From California
- Greenland Ice Shows Rapid Climate Flips
- Earth May Have Supported Life Earlier in History
- Oceans Warming Faster Than Realized
- New Lookouts for Climate Change
- Arctic Sea Ice Melting Even Faster
- Space Cameras to Monitor Forests
- Harsh Climate Scoured Early Earth
- Did Sea Level Flux Drive Mass Extinctions?




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Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (24 June 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (24 June 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Launch of the Ocean Surface Topography Mission
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18069

Global Aerosol System 2000-2007
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18068

Summer in Greenland
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18067

Heat Wave in Northern Europe
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18066

Vermilion Cliffs and Paria River, Arizona
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18065

Dust Storm over the Middle East
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18064

Forest Change on New Ireland, Papau New Guinea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18063

Carbon Monoxide from Central African Fires
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18062

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Launches Ocean Satellite to Keep a Weather, Climate Eye Open
- NASA, Air Resources Board to Examine California Air Quality
- NASA Mission Poised to Help Us Gauge Our Rising Seas

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Ebb and Flow of the Sea Drives World's Big Extinction Events
- Ancient Mineral Shows Early Earth Climate Tough on Continents
- Scientist Highlights Urgent Need for New Computer Models to Address Climate Change
- Computer Models Show Major Climate Shift as a Result of Closing Ozone Hole
- Freshwater Runoff From the Greenland Ice Sheet Will More than Double by the End of the Century
- Permafrost Threatened by Rapid Retreat of Arctic Sea Ice

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Roadside Crater Should Have Made More of an Impact
- U.S. On Pace for Record Tornado Season
- How Long Does it Take a Rainforest to Regenerate?
- Most Experts Foresee a Repeat, at Least, of 2007 Arctic Ice Loss
- Atlas Shows How Climate Changed Africa
- Seabed Scratches Show Icebergs Reached the Tropics
- Florida's Hurricane Simulator
- Before & After: Third Largest Rain Forest Vanishing Fast
- Climate Change Effect on Oceans Underestimated
- Andes Mountains Jumped Like a Cork

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/




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got this via email.. :)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (17 June 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (17 June 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Carbon Monoxide from Central African Fires
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18062

Fires in Virginia, North Carolina
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18061

Floods in Iowa
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18060

Bolivian Andes
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18059

Isla de la Palma, Canary Islands
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18058

Phosphate Mines in Jordan
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18057

Floods in Indiana, Illinois
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18056

Dam Breach Swells Jianjiang River
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18055

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Aircraft Examine Impact of Forest Fires on Arctic Climate
- NASA Data Helps Pinpoint Impacted Population in Disaster Aftermath
- For Hurricanes, Storms, Raindrop Size Makes All the Difference
- Student Researchers and Educators Partner with NASA for Unparalleled Results
- NASA Scientists' Model Reveals How Superstorm Plasma Affects Near-Earth Space

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Ocean Life Under Threat From Climate Change
- Mystery of Infamous 'New England Dark Day' Solved by Tree Rings
- Mountain Ranges Rise Much More Rapidly Than Geologists Expected
- Data Show Antarctic Ice Stream Radiating Seismically

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Tidal Ice Quakes are Shaking Antarctica
- Drought Slowing Old Faithful Geyser
- Images Reveal 'Rapid Forest Loss'
- Ships Rewrite Temperature Record
- Building a Baby Earth to Test its Magnetic Field
- Acid Rain Still Taking a Toll on Northeast Forests
- Methane Warmed Ancient Snowball Earth
- Could Dust Weaken Hurricanes?


got this via email

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (10 June 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Dam Breach Swells Jianjiang River
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18055

Black Sea Phytoplankton Bloom
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18054

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18053

Quake Lowers Zipingku Reservoir
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18052

Forest Change in Papua New Guinea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18051

Lava Heats Up Chaiten Caldera
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18050

Glory Over Pacific Ocean Clouds
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18049

Green-up in California Burned Areas Poses Fire Risk
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18044

DOUBLE FLYBY ALERT

Space Weather News for June 10, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

DOUBLE FLYBY ALERT: Space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station on Wednesday morning, June 11th, at 7:42 am EDT. This means many sky watchers will be able to see the two spaceships flying in tandem, separate but closely-spaced points of light, gliding among the stars on Wednesday night. Double flybys will continue on Thursday the 12th and to a lesser extent on Friday the 13th, with Discovery returning to Earth on Saturday. Southeastern parts of the United States (e.g., Miami and Atlanta) are favored with some particularly good apparitions. Check our Simple Flybys tool to find out when you should look: http://spaceweather.com/flybys/

MARSWORM: Meanwhile on Mars, Phoenix has photographed a worm-shaped object near one of its feet. No, it is not a Marsworm. Visit http://spaceweather.com to find out what really lies at Phoenix's feet and to view the latest 3D images from the Red Planet.

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (03 June 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (03 June 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
2008 Hurricane Seasons Begin in Eastern Pacific and Atlantic
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18048

Volcanic Plumes and Vog, Hawaii
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18047

Drought in Iraq
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18046

Town of Chaiten
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18045

Green-up in California Burned Areas Poses Fire Risk
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18044

Comparison of Chaiten and Mount St. Helens
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18043

Sichuan Landslides
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18042

Permafrost on Mars and Earth
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18041

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Satellites Illuminate Pollution's Influence on Clouds

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- World's Fastest-Growing Mud Volcano is Collapsing
- Large Methane Release Could Cause Abrupt Climate Change
- Pacific Coast Turning More Acidic
- Scorched Earth Millennium Map Shows Fire Scars
- Seeing Clearly Despite the Clouds
- Study Cites Impact of Anthropogenic Nitrogen on Ocean Biology, Atmospheric CO2

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- New Climate Report Foresees Big Changes
- Can Big Earthquakes Trigger a Domino Effect?
- Vast Cracks Appear in Arctic Ice
- Methane Rise Points to Wetlands
- Growing Ocean Acidity May Erode Coastal Ecosystems
- Ice Flow Alone Explains Why Fjords are Cut So Deep
- Overheated Earth Would Lock Into Place
- Global Warming May Change Ocean Biology
- Fewer Hurricanes as World Warms
- Researchers Warn of Nitrogen Hazard to Environment




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Earth Observatory weekly mailing -- http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (27 May 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (27 May 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Permafrost on Mars and Earth
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18041

Aerosols from Chaiten Volcano
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18040

Zion Canyon, Utah
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18039

Boulder Canyon, Colorado
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18038

Kondyor Massif, Russian Far East
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18037

Nile Bend, Egypt
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18036

Irrawaddy Delta, Burma
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18035

Lake Formation in the Aftermath of Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18034

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Joint NASA-French Satellite to Track Trends in Sea Level, Climate

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

Space Weather News for May 28, 2008

Space Weather News for May 28, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

THE DESCENT OF PHOENIX: When NASA's Phoenix probe parachuted to Mars last Sunday, a pair of other spacecraft were orbiting high overhead, watching and listening. While NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped some jaw-dropping photos of Phoenix's plunge to the surface, Europe's Mars Express orbiter recorded Phoenix's radio transmissions. The eerie-sounding tones have just been beamed back to Earth and you can listen to them by following the links at today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

CARTWHEEL CME: Imagine a billion-ton cloud of gas launching itself off the surface of the sun and then ... doing a cartwheel. That's exactly what happened on April 9, 2008, when a coronal mass ejection pirouetted over the sun's limb in full view of an international fleet of spacecraft. The cartwheel set off a chain of events that amazed even veteran solar physicists. The full story, and a spectacular movie of a second cartwheel recorded just last week, may be found at http://spaceweather.com

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (20 May 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (20 May 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Lake Formation in the Aftermath of Magnitude 7.9 Earthquake
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18034

Sichuan Province's Rugged Terrain
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18033

Fires Around Lake Baikal, Russia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18032

Moselle River Gorge, Germany
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18031

Western Namibia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18030

Floodwaters in Burma
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18029

El Gezira, Sudan
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18028

Earthquake Near Chengdu, China
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18027

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Earth Impacts Linked to Human-Caused Climate Change
- Striking a Balance with Climate Change

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Scientists Identified Earthquake Faults in Sichuan, China
- New Findings on Ocean Nitrogen
- Atmosphere Threatened by Pollutants Entering Ocean
- Atmosphere Threatened by Pollutants Entering Ocean
- Ice Cores Reveal Fluctuations in Earth's Greenhouse Gases

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Natural Changes Pinned to Warming
- Antarctic Melt Releasing DDT, Tainting Penguins
- Water-Cooled Supercomputer Set to Study Climate
- Greenland Ice Has Sensitive History to Warming
- Fewer Wildfires, Less Carbon Stored?
- How Cleaning up America Dried up the Amazon
- Once Lush Sahara Dried Up Over Millenia
- Vog – Volcanic Smog – Casts Haze over Hawaii
- Climate-Cyclone Link Spurs Debate
- Warming Hits Tropical Creatures Harder
- Politician Suggests Mangrove Loss Put Burma at Risk
- What Made the Dust Bowl Bad is in Its Name

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

got this via email

NASA Science News for May 21, 2008

NASA Science News for May 21, 2008
NASA astronomers have been watching the Moon to see how often meteoroids crash into the lunar surface and they've just video-recorded their 100th explosion. This surprisingly bountiful data-set allows researchers to start drawing conclusions about when, where, and how often the Moon gets hit.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/21may_100explosions.htm?list874246

Space Weather News for May 15, 2008

Space Weather News for May 15, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

GLOBAL SATELLITE TRACKING: Spaceweather.com's simple Satellite Tracker has gone global. The tool now works not only for US and Canadian readers, but also for sky watchers in countries around the world. This development comes as the International Space Station is making bright and frequent nightly apparitions over Europe, Africa, the Middle East, parts of Asia and Australia. If you live in those areas, give it a try: http://spaceweather.com/flybys

POLLEN CORONAS: Warning, this story may make you sneeze. Swarms of springtime pollen in the northern hemisphere are drifting in front of the sun and making multi-colored coronas (rings of light) in the sky. Unlike circular coronas caused by water droplets in clouds, pollen coronas have strange elliptical shapes dotted by colorful bright patches. Pictures featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com show you what to look for.

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (13 May 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (13 May 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Earth Observatory subscribers,
Thanks to you, the Earth Observatory has been fortunate enough
to have won its fourth Webby People's Voice Award! We could
not have done it without you. As always, we thank you for your
kind support and for visiting our site.

The full list of Webby and People's Voice winners is available at:
http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=12



------------------------------------------------------------------------


New Reference:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/

* William Smith (1769-1839)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Giants/WilliamSmith/
William Smith discovered that he could identify rock layers by the unique fossils they held. His discovery helped later generations of scientists to understand the history of life on Earth.

--------------------

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Earthquake near Chengdu, China
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18027

Phytoplankton Bloom in North Sea off Scotland
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18026

Lake Pontchartrain and the Bonnet Carre Spillway, Louisiana
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18025

Chaiten Volcano
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18024

William Smith's Geological Map of England
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18023

Flooding in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18022

Heavy Rain from Cyclone Nargis
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18021

Chile's Chaiten Volcano Erupts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18020

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Satellite Captures Image of Cyclone Nargis Flooding in Burma (Myanmar)

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Researchers Forecast 59 Percent Chance of Record Low Arctic Sea Ice in 2008
- Scientists Discover New Ocean Current
- Before Fossil Fuels, Earth's Minerals Kept CO2 in Check
- Northern Lights Glimmer with Unexpected Trait
- Stratospheric Injections to Counter Global Warming Could Damage Ozone Layer
- Better Regional Monitoring of CO2 Needed as Global Levels Continue Rising
- Ozone Hole Recovery May Reshape Southern Hemisphere Climate Change
- Sierra Nevada Rose to Current Height Earlier Than Thought

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Major Arctic Sea Ice Melt is Expected This Summer
- Inner Earth Filled With 'Peanut Butter'?
- In a New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World
- Ocean Dead Zones Growing; May Be Linked to Warming

Space Weather News for May 7, 2008

Space Weather News for May 7, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS: On May 5th, experienced sky watchers in Northern Ireland were surprised by a sudden apparition of electric-blue noctilucent clouds (NLCs). This marks an unusually early beginning to the 2008 NLC season and may herald a spectacular summer of high-latitude "night shining" clouds. NLCs first appeared in the 19th century mainly around Earth's poles. Since then, for reasons unknown, they have increased in number and range, with sightings in recent years as far south as Utah and Colorado. Visit http://spaceweather.com to see the first photos of 2008 and to learn what to look for in case NLCs visit your part of the world in the nights ahead.

===============================================


The sky this month


Mars joins M44

Ruddy Mars shines at 1st magnitude, equaling the nearby giant star Pollux. The Red Planet then lies approximately 150 million miles from Earth, so it measures a mere 5.8" across. You'll need a 10-inch or larger telescope to see any appreciable detail.

The best most of us can do is to watch its trek against the background stars. Luckily, Mars has a few good companions this month: A waxing Moon stands 6° to its west May 9, just 4 days after the planet crossed into Cancer. The following night, the Moon stands a similar distance east of the planet.

The best is yet to come. On May 21, Mars lies on the western edge of the Beehive star cluster (M44). The following 2 nights, Mars passes through the cluster. Grab your binoculars May 22 and 23 for a great view. This conjunction also offers the opportunity to take some fine close-up photographs. Mars shines nearly 2 magnitudes brighter than the combined output of the Beehive's few hundred stars.

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (06 May 2008)

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (06 May 2008)
------------------------------------------------------------------------


In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Chile's Chaiten Volcano Erupts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18020

Cyclone Nargis Floods Myanmar (Burma)
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18019

Volcanic Rocks, Southwestern Colorado
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18018

Monsoon Spurs Indian Green-up
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18017

Burren Plateau, County Clare, Ireland
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18016

Cyclone Nargis
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18015

Los Angeles at Night
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18014

Sulfur Dioxide and Vog from Kilauea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18013

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- 'Broken Heart' Image the Last for NASA's Long-Lived Polar Mission

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Is There a Hidden Order to the Northern Lights?
- Nature's Carbon Balance Confirmed
- Potent Greenhouse-Gas Methane has Been Rising
- North Pole Could Be Ice Free in 2008
- Arctic Getting "Wetter" Due to Human-Driven Warming
- Narwhals More at Risk from Arctic Warming than Polar Bears
- In British Columbia, a Beetle Upsets Climate Calculus
- Arctic Currents May be Warming the World
- Jet Stream Shifts May Spur More Powerful Hurricanes
- Shaky U.S. Grounds Revealed in New Maps
- Giant Undersea Volcano Found Off Iceland
- First Contact with Earthquake Zone
- Mysterious Striped Currents Revealed in the Oceans
- Ocean Waves Pounding Harder
- Hothouse Earth Would Halt Plate Tectonics
- More Doubt on Cosmic Climate Link
- Record Heat for Land Surfaces in March
- Singing Icebergs Get Record Deal
- Acidic Oceans May be Water of Life for Plankton

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

Got this via email.. enjoy reading and looking at the pictures... :)

NASA Science News for May 6, 2008

NASA Science News for May 6, 2008
In September 1859, the sun unleashed a solar flare so intense it was visible to the unaided human eye. A ferocious geomagnetic storm ensued in which Northern Lights descended as far south as Cuba, the Bahamas and Hawaii. Meanwhile, telegraph engineers disconnected their batteries and powered communications by electricity from the auroras! Could it happen again? Read today's story to find out.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/06may_carringtonflare.htm?list874246


Too bad I can't view the meteor shower tonight. Though I did check the sky out last night. I saw 8 per hours. Not bad.... Good luck wherever you are at. Enjoy stargazing sky! :)

AQUARID METEOR SHOWER

Space Weather News for May 4, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

ETA AQUARID METEOR SHOWER: If you see a meteor flit across the sky tonight, it could be a piece of Halley's Comet. Earth is crossing a stream of dusty debris from Halley and this is causing the annual eta Aquarid meteor shower. Sky watchers in the tropics and southern hemisphere (where the shower is most intense) could see as many as 70 meteors per hour during the dark hours before dawn on Monday, May 5th, and Tuesday, May 6th. The show is diminished at northern latitudes where rates may be 15 meteors per hour or less. Check http://spaceweather.com for sky maps and more information.

MERCURY AND THE MOON: Innermost planet Mercury is emerging from the glare of the sun and putting on its best show of the year. A good time to look is Tuesday evening, May 6th, just after sunset when the crescent Moon glides by Mercury in the darkening western sky. A sky map and photos are available at http://spaceweather.com.

Space Weather News for May 1, 2008

Space Weather News for May 1, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

FLYBY ALERT: This is a good month for spaceship spotting. On May 1st, the International Space Station (ISS) begins a 4-week series of bright flybys over North America and Europe. In early May, the ISS joins Jupiter and the stars of the Summer Triangle in a glittering pre-dawn sky. Later in the month, increasingly-frequent flybys shift to evening hours and the ISS will be crossing paths with Saturn, the Moon and Mars. US and Canadian readers, check our Simple Satellite Flybys tool to find out when to look: http://spaceweather.com/flybys . (European readers, an international version of the flybys tool will be available in the near future. Stay tuned.)

EXPLORE THE IONOSPHERE: The ionosphere is our planet's "final frontier." A realm of dancing auroras, radio-bending plasma bubbles and dangerous ultraviolet rays, it is the last wisp of Earth's atmosphere that astronauts leave behind when they enter space. Now you can explore the ionosphere from the safety of your own home. Yesterday, NASA-supported researchers unveiled a "4D" computer model for the general public. Download a few files and presto--you're flying through the ionosphere. The model shows the ionosphere as it is right now; it's a real-time display based on current solar activity and atmospheric conditions. Visit http://spaceweather.com to get started.

got this via email.. :)

Latest issue of Skymaps

Welcome to the latest issue of Skymaps.com Update!

IN THIS ISSUE:
* The Evening Sky Map -- May 2008
* Save on Telescopes, Binoculars & Accessories
* Compare Printed Star Atlases
* Astronomy a Go-Go! Podcast
* Distribution of Printed Handouts

-----------------------------------------------
THE EVENING SKY MAP -- MAY 2008

The latest issue of The Evening Sky Map is now available!

This month's Sky Calendar features:
* Saturn closes in on Regulus
* Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower
* Occultation of Mars
* Mercury well placed in the evening sky (Northern Hemisphere)
* Occultation of Antares
* Locate Saturn and Mars in the evening sky
* plus... the best celestial objects for binoculars, telescope, or using just your eyes.

Sky Calendar and event links:
http://www.skymaps.com/articles/n0805.html

Download The Evening Sky Map:
http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
Click your browser's Reload/Refresh button if you do not see the May 2008 links.

Thank you for your support and generous donations.
http://www.skymaps.com/donate/

Clear skies!

Kym Thalassoudis
http://Skymaps.com
Quality sky maps each month to explore, learn & enjoy the night sky.

-----------------------------------------------
SAVE ON TELESCOPES, BINOCULARS & ACCESSORIES

http://www.skymaps.com/store/cat05a.html

-----------------------------------------------
COMPARE PRINTED STAR ATLASES

Quickly compare the key features of all current printed star altases.
http://www.skymaps.com/compare_star_atlases/

-----------------------------------------------
ASTRONOMY A GO-GO! PODCAST

AaGG is a weekly podcast that covers what you can see in the sky for the
month, astronomy news, astronomy how-to, music and more. A podcast is an
Internet audio program you can listen to on your computer or portable audio
player (iPod). AaGG is free just like the vast majority of podcasts. Have a
listen, I'm sure you will agree that Alice Few does an excellent job at
producing AaGG. Look out for this month's Guided Tour of the Sky due to be
released in the next few days. We'll have a direct link from Skymaps.com
once it's out.

You can listen to the show online at the AaGG Web Site:
http://astronomy.libsyn.com/

or subscribe using a free tool, such as iTunes:
http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/

-----------------------------------------------
DISTRIBUTION OF TESM PRINTED HANDOUTS

Skymaps.com has a new policy for the distribution of printed handouts of
The Evening Sky Map (TESM). Commencing with the January 2006 issue,
Individuals and Astronomy Education Groups wishing to distribute printed
handouts of TESM no longer need to submit a Copyright Permission Form for
non-commercial educational use.

Under the new Non-Commercial Educational Use policy, Individuals may make
and distribute up to 30 printed handouts of TESM each month for use by
their family or friends. Astronomy Education Groups may make and distribute
up to 300 copies of TESM each month for non-commercial educational use.

Individuals or Astronomy Education Groups wishing to make use of the new
policy must comply by the Terms of Use detailed at:


The new policy makes it quicker and easier for Astronomy-related groups and
educators to make timely use of The Evening Sky Map. Please contact me if
you have any questions or comments regarding the new policy.


Note, reprint fees *may* apply in the following cases:
* Any use of a commercial nature
* Publication including bundling with other publications
* More than 300 copies per month

got this via email

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (29 April 2008)

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Sulfur Dioxide and Vog from Kilauea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18013

La Nina and Pacific Decadal Oscillation Cool the Pacific
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18012

Flooding on the White River
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18011

Cerro Culiacan, Mexico
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18010

Porto Primavera Reservoir, Brazil
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18009

Coal Sludge Impoundments, West Virginia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18008

Burn Scar Near Fort Carson, Colorado
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18007

Fires Spread Smoke over Buenos Aires
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18006

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- NASA Web Tool Enhances Airborne Earth Science Mission
- NASA Satellites Aid in Chesapeake Bay Recovery
- Larger Pacific Climate Event Helps Current La Nina Linger


got this via email..

Space Weather News for April 27, 2008

Space Weather News for April 27, 2008
http://spaceweather.com

STRANGE SOLAR FLARE: No sunspots? No problem. Yesterday the blank sun unleashed a solar flare without the usual aid of a sunspot. At 1408 UT on April 26th, Earth-orbiting satellites detected a surge of X-rays registering B3.8 on the "Richter scale" of solar flares. That's a relatively minor flare; nevertheless, the blast sent a "solar tsunami" shock wave rippling through the sun's atmosphere and also launched a coronal mass ejection. The CME is expected to reach Earth late on April 28th or April 29th, possibly sparking high latitude auroras when it arrives. Visit http://spaceweather.com to view images, movies and updates.



got this via email

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (22 April 2008)

In the News:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/

* Latest Images:
Fires Spread Smoke over Buenos Aires
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18006

Tokyo at Night
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18005

Cananea Copper Mine, Sonora, Mexico
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18004

Spider Crater Close-up
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18003

The Nardo Ring
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18000

Rainfall in Typhoon Neoguri
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17999

Fires in Amur Oblast', Russia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17998

Plume over the Caspian Sea
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17997

* NASA News
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/
- Researchers Warm Up to Melt's Role in Greenland Ice Loss
- New Atlases Use NASA Data to Chart Ocean Winds

* Media Alerts
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/
- Tiny Tremors Can Track Extreme Storms in a Warming Planet
- Methane Sources Over the Last 30,000 Years
- Changing Jet Streams May Alter Paths of Storms and Hurricanes
- Absence of Clouds Caused Pre-Human Supergreenhouse Periods
- Flowers' Fragrance Diminished by Air Pollution
- How Strong is a Hurricane? Just Listen

* Headlines from the press, radio, and television:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Headlines/
- Ocean Salinity Evidence of Climate Change
- Forecast for Big Sea Level Rise
- Major California Earthquake Likely to Hit Within 30 Years
- Melting Mountains a Time Bomb for Water Shortages
- Undersea Quake Swarm Puzzles Experts
- Scientists Discover 8,000-Year-Old Trees
- Curious Cloud Formations Linked to Quakes
- Melting Causes Lake in Chile to Empty
- Lack of Clouds Amplified Dinosaur-Era Warming
- Solomons Quake First Seen to Jump Tectonic Barrier
- Packed Hurricane Season Ahead
- Underwater Ears Warn of Hurricane Strength
- Earth's Crust Shows Long-Term Wiggle Room
- Climate Change Risk for Endangered Animals

* New Research Highlights
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/Research/

got this via email.. :)

NASA Broadcasts Earth Views in High Definition

http://www.space.com/news/080418-nasa-hd.html

NASA Broadcasts Earth Views in High Definition
By SPACE.com Staff

posted: 18 April 2008
05:38 pm ET


NASA is giving Earth folk a new view of their home planet in high-definition (HD), as seen through the eyes of astronauts of past shuttle and International Space Station missions.

The hour-long special includes crisp views of Earth's oceans and continents that only astronauts have been privy to while floating in orbit.

NASA aired the HD broadcast on NASA TV early Friday as a silent film of serene Earth views. A replay is scheduled for the same time on Monday, and will air all day long from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT (1000-1200 GMT) on April 22. The replays include a discussion of the Earth views by Justin Wilkinson, a scientist with the Crew Earth Observations Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The footage will also run on standard NASA TV during regularly scheduled Video File broadcasts.

The astronaut-shot Earth views mark the latest in a series of efforts to view space in high-definition video, whether looking at Earth, the moon or spacecraft interiors.

Japan's Kaguya lunar orbiter captured HD video of Earth-rise while orbiting the moon on April 5, and Japan's tour bus-sized Kibo laboratory on the International Space Station will also host an HD camera once it is completely assembled. The Kibo lab's large pressurized segment is slated for launch in late May aboard a NASA shuttle.

The Discovery Channel also plans on airing a miniseries this year featuring never-before-seen footage of NASA missions restored in high-definition.

Click here for a button to access NASA TV feed on SPACE.com's ISS mission updates.

NASA Science News for April 21, 2008

I got this in email today and wanted to share with you all. This is very interesting,huh? who would have thunk of that? Yes that is a redneck thing, LOL! Happy Reading! ~Ginger :)

NASA Science News for April 21, 2008
Going to the Moon? Don't forget your duct tape. Thirty-six years ago when Apollo 17 astronauts found themselves a quarter million miles from home with a damaged moonbuggy, a roll of "good old fashioned American gray tape" saved the day.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/21apr_ducttape.htm?list874246

The Sky this month...

A tale of two streams





Seeing meteors pepper the sky from the direction of Lyra is a regular April event. Unfortunately, moonlight significantly hinders observations of this year's Lyrid meteor shower. The Lyrids peak near midnight EDT the night of April 21/22, when a waning gibbous Moon stands in Libra. To get a decent view, watch before dawn April 22 from a spot where trees or buildings block the Moon. A better opportunity to see meteors arises in April's final days. Although the Eta Aquarid shower doesn't peak until May's first week, its annual run begins late this month. The meteors come from debris left behind by Comet 1P/Halley during its passages through the inner solar system. The International Meteor Organization reports an apparent 12-year activity cycle for the Eta Aquarids. This could boost rates from 2008 to 2010. So, despite the radiant's low altitude from the Northern Hemisphere, watch for the Eta Aquarids' typically long streaks.

Strange things may be happening on the full Moon when it gets hit by Earth's magnetic tail.

NASA-supported researchers have realized that strange things may be happening on the full Moon when it gets hit by Earth's magnetic tail.

FULL STORY at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/17apr_magnetotail.htm?list874246



The Moon and the Magnetotail
04.17.2008

April 17, 2008: Behold the full Moon. Ancient craters and frozen lava seas lie motionless under an airless sky of profound quiet. It's a slow-motion world where even a human footprint may last millions of years. Nothing ever seems to happen there.

Right?

Wrong. NASA-supported scientists have realized that something does happen every month when the Moon gets a lashing from Earth's magnetic tail.

"Earth's magnetotail extends well beyond the orbit of the Moon and, once a month, the Moon orbits through it," says Tim Stubbs, a University of Maryland scientist working at the Goddard Space Flight Center. "This can have consequences ranging from lunar 'dust storms' to electrostatic discharges."

Yes, Earth does have a magnetic tail. It is an extension of the same familiar magnetic field we experience when using a Boy Scout compass. Our entire planet is enveloped in a bubble of magnetism, which springs from a molten dynamo in Earth's core. Out in space, the solar wind presses against this bubble and stretches it, creating a long "magnetotail" in the downwind direction: diagram.

Anyone can tell when the Moon is inside the magnetotail. Just look: "If the Moon is full, it is inside the magnetotail," says Stubbs. "The Moon enters the magnetotail three days before it is full and takes about six days to cross and exit on the other side."

It is during those six days that strange things can happen.

During the crossing, the Moon comes in contact with a gigantic "plasma sheet" of hot charged particles trapped in the tail. The lightest and most mobile of these particles, electrons, pepper the Moon's surface and give the Moon a negative charge.

On the Moon's dayside this effect is counteracted to a degree by sunlight: UV photons knock electrons back off the surface, keeping the build-up of charge at relatively low levels. But on the nightside, in the cold lunar dark, electrons accumulate and voltages can climb to hundreds or thousands of volts.

Walking across the dusty charged-up lunar terrain, astronauts may find themselves crackling with electricity like a sock pulled out of a hot dryer. Touching another astronaut, a doorknob, a piece of sensitive electronics—any of these simple actions could produce an unwelcome zap. "Proper grounding is strongly recommended," advises Stubbs.

The ground, meanwhile, may leap into the sky. There is compelling evidence (see, e.g., the Surveyor 7 image below) that fine particles of moondust, when sufficiently charged-up, actually float above the lunar surface. This could create a temporary nighttime atmosphere of dust ready to blacken spacesuits, clog machinery, scratch faceplates (moondust is very abrasive) and generally make life difficult for astronauts.

Stranger still, moondust might gather itself into a sort of diaphanous wind. Drawn by differences in global charge accumulation, floating dust would naturally fly from the strongly-negative nightside to the weakly-negative dayside. This "dust storm" effect would be strongest at the Moon's terminator, the dividing line between day and night.

Much of this is pure speculation, Stubbs cautions. No one can say for sure what happens on the Moon when the magnetotail hits, because no one has been there at the crucial time. "Apollo astronauts never landed on a full Moon and they never experienced the magnetotail."
The best direct evidence comes from NASA's Lunar Prospector spacecraft, which orbited the Moon in 1998-99 and monitored many magnetotail crossings. During some crossings, the spacecraft sensed big changes in the lunar nightside voltage, jumping "typically from -200 V to -1000 V," says Jasper Halekas of UC Berkeley who has been studying the decade-old data.


"It is important to note," says Halekas, "that the plasma sheet (where all the electrons come from) is a very dynamic structure. The plasma sheet is in a constant state of motion, flapping up and down all the time. So as the Moon orbits through the magnetotail, the plasma sheet can sweep across it over and over again. Depending on how dynamic things are, we can encounter the plasma sheet many times during a single pass through the magnetotail with encounters lasting anywhere from minutes to hours or even days."

"As a result, you can imagine how dynamic the charging environment on the Moon is. The Moon can be just sitting there in a quiet region of the magnetotail and then suddenly all this hot plasma goes sweeping by causing the nightside potential to spike to a kilovolt. Then it drops back again just as quickly."

The roller coaster of charge would be at its most dizzying during solar and geomagnetic storms. "That is a very dynamic time for the plasma sheet and we need to study what happens then," he says.

What happens then? Next-generation astronauts are going to find out. NASA is returning to the Moon in the decades ahead and plans to establish an outpost for long-term lunar exploration. It turns out they'll be exploring the magnetotail, too.
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Author: Dr. Tony Phillips Credit: Science@NASA

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Solar Wind vs. Magnetotail: Earth's magnetotail isn't the only source of plasma to charge the Moon. Solar wind can provide charged particles, too; indeed, most of the time, the solar wind is the primary source. But when the Moon enters the magnetotail, the solar wind is pushed back and the plasma sheet takes over. The plasma sheet is about 10 times hotter than the solar wind and that gives it more "punch" when it comes to altering the charge balance of the Moon's surface. Two million degree electrons in the plasma sheet race around like crazy and many of them hit the Moon's surface. Solar wind electrons are relatively cool at only 140 thousand degrees, and fewer of them zip all the way down to the shadowed surface of the Moon's nightside.
Right: Electrostatic forces acting on moondust may cause the dust to float off the Moon's surface. Credit: Tim Stubbs/U. Maryland/GSFC. [Larger image]

Moon Fountains -- (Science@NASA) When astronauts return to the Moon, they might encounter electrified fountains and other strange things.

Moondust in the Wind -- (Science@NASA) What happens when moondust is exposed to solar wind? NASA scientists have found some surprising answers.

Moon Storms -- (Science@NASA) An old Apollo experiment is telling researchers something new and surprising about the moon.

The Mysterious Smell of Moondust -- (Science@NASA) Decades after the Apollo program, scientists are still trying to figure out why moondust smells like gunpowder.

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